re perhaps the greatest single force in
breaking up his own following, putting an end to the principle of doing
nothing, and forcing every Democrat to come out and show his colors.
In Shakespeare's phrase, it was--"Under which king, Bezonian? speak or
die!" In Douglas's own phrase: "There can be no neutrals in this war;
ONLY PATRIOTS--OR TRAITORS."

Side by side with Douglas's manifesto to the Democrats there appeared in
the Monday papers Lincoln's call for volunteers. The militia of several
Northern States at once responded.

On Wednesday, the 17th of April, the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment
entrained for Washington. Two days later it was in Baltimore. There it
was attacked by a mob; the soldiers fired; and a number of civilians
were killed as well as several soldiers.

These shots at Baltimore aroused the Southern party in Maryland. Led
by the Mayor of the city, they resolved to prevent the passage of other
troops across their State to Washington. Railway tracks were torn up
by order of the municipal authorities, and bridges were burnt. The
telegraph was cut. As in a flash, after issuing his proclamation,
Lincoln found himself isolated at Washington with no force but a handful
of troops and the government clerks. And while Maryland rose against him
on one side, Virginia joined his enemies on the other. The day the Sixth
Massachusetts left Boston, Virginia seceded. The Virginia militia were
called to their colors. Preparations were at once set on foot for the
seizure of the great federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry and the Navy Yard
at Norfolk. The next day a handful of federal troops, fearful of being
overpowered at Harper's Ferry, burned the arsenal and withdrew to
Washington. For the same reason the buildings of the great Navy Yard
were blown up or set on fire, and the ships at anchor were sunk. So
desperate and unprepared were the Washington authorities that they took
these extreme measures to keep arms and ammunition out of the hands of
the Virginians. So hastily was the destruction carried out, that it was
only partially successful and at both places large stores of ammunition
were seized by the Virginia troops. While Washington was isolated,
and Lincoln did not know what response the North had made to his
proclamation, Robert E. Lee, having resigned his commission in the
federal army, was placed in command of the Virginia troops.

The secretaries of Lincoln have preserved a picture of his desperate
anxiety, wai